Accessories

[DonQ]

OK, all you married folks, y'all know where I'm at. My lovely bride has grown tired of my inability to put meat on the table with a bow, and agreed to a one time purchase of black powder gun & accessories. I've chosen a .54 Cal traditional carbine from Cabela's that will shoot conicals. I have one shot to get everything I need without getting "the look". What do I get? My current list includes Hornaday Great Plains .54 bullets, Hodgen FFG Powder, #11 Percission Caps, some 6 X 75 replacement nipples, cleaning kit & some speed loaders. I'm sure there's something else I can't live without, but the closest thing I have to experience is watching the movie "Jeremiah Johnson". Please; stop laughing and HELP!

 

[Swtodd]

Powder flask, powder measures. Wait, just explain that it's like jewelry, it never ends, you never have all you want. (this is from a guy that isn't married anymore). Hope this helps. :grin:

steve

 

[gearheart]

You don't need the speed loaders. they're a misnomer anyhow. They don't speed the process up near enough to be useful. Powder flask / horn and powder measure works just fine. Round balls are a lot cheaper and a 54 ball will knock a deer, even an elk, on its a$$. The cost of 20 conicals will get you 100 ball and patches and coffee $ left over. Good luck. :thumbsup:
Oops didn't see that it is a barrel for conicals. OK disregard that part.

 

[Swtodd]

Oh ya, a way to carry your stuff. A shooting bag. Not sure where you're located, more than one pound of powder. Nipple capper. Have you made a deal with your wife, however much you spend on this, next time it's her turn, to spend the same amount on what she wants? Hope she wants a rifle kinda like yours. Oh, one more thing, Welcome To The Forum!

steve

 

[longcruise]

I'd go with a longer barrel rifle suitable for round ball shooting. The .54 will not steer you wrong.

Honestly, once you have paid up for a hundred or so conicals and shot them, the joy will pretty much be gone from your ml experience. Swept away by the cost of buying the bullets and the recoil they deliver. :shocked2: Especially in .54 caliber.

Basic stuff you will need!

1. Adjustable powder measure.
2. Powder 2f or 3f.
3. #11 caps.
4. The spare nipple is a good idea. :thumbsup:
5. A capping device (piece of leather works fine).
5. A jag that will fit your field rod and your range rod.
6. A range rod.
7. Something to carry your powder in. Speedloaders at the very least.
8. Some flannel or soft cotton to swab the bore between shots and to clean after shooting.
9. A stuck ball screw (will work on a conical too if you dry ball. Dry bullet?? )
10. A nipple wrench.
11. A short starter.
12. Some soap/water mixed 1/10 or so to wipe between shots and as a general solvent (don't waste your money on commercial bp "solvents". The exception being Hoppes #9 solvent and lube that you can use to lube ball patches if you decide to go with balls).
13. An old toothbrush for cleaning around the exterior of the breech area.
14. An old pot or coffee can to put the water in when you clean the rifle.
15. A automotive vacuum hose sealer that fits tight over the nipple so you can fill the barrel with water to soak a bit before cleaning.
16. Some bore preservative to apply after cleaning. You can use oil, but it tends to leave residue that turns to tar the next time you shoot! Arguments rage over the best thing to use and will undoubtedly begin to unfold later in this thread! :haha:
17. You can use a nylon bore brush in the cleaning process. Not necessary but useful. The brass ones tend to lose their shape.
18. It's handy to have some kind of device to help knock out the barrel key. A screwdriver will do.
19. Screwdrivers to fit your sights!
20. Shooting glasses.
21. Ear protection.

Ok, I've burned out. :haha: Somebody else start adding things I've missed.

Once you are all set, you can "re-discover" your archery skills and hunt both ways. :rotf:

 

[Mike 56]

Short starter, nipple wrench, powder measure, wads, Lee Real bullet mold, bullet lube. I am sure their is more but that is all i can think of right now.
Mike

 

[hoochiepapa]

A wire of some sort to keep the nipple clear.

 

[ken.clements]

OK, all you married folks, y'all know where I'm at. My lovely bride has grown tired of my inability to put meat on the table with a bow, and agreed to a one time purchase of black powder gun & accessories. I've chosen a .54 Cal traditional carbine from Cabela's that will shoot conicals. I have one shot to get everything I need without getting "the look". What do I get?

To be on the safe side....one of every article from Dixie page 1 to page 300. :grin:

 

[jethro224]

a one time purchase of black powder gun & accessories.

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
Just wait 'til the blackpowder bug bites you when you go shootin' the first time.
Next thing you know you'll be buying cases of Goex, totin' a custom flintlock, dressin' funny, and sleepin' under a tarp at rendezvous.

Hello, my name is Jethro and I am a blackpowder addict... :surrender:



Add a nipple pick, a range box/tackle box, and a shooting bag to marmot slayer's list and you should be covered.
I'd go with a horn instead of the speedloaders.
I'd also agree with those who said to think about using patched round balls instead of those bullets. You'll get to shoot a LOT more for the same money. A .54 round ball is plenty to kill a critter.
Take a look at the topics in the Hunting section of the Forum for plenty of good examples.

Welcome to the Forum! :hatsoff:
And to your next addiction. :haha:

 

[jethro224]

BTW, I'd shop around a little before you jump right in and order from Cabelas. They have some nice stuff but can be a bit pricy...

Couple suggestions made by Lyman/Investarms, the same folks who make the Cabelas carbine; http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000156033141 http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000156032126
They also have the Great Plains for @ $100 cheaper than Cabelas.

 

[Ron_T.]

I'd surely try a pound of FFFg before you make any decision about which powder to use.

A whole lotta folks shooting .54 caliber smoke-poles use FFFg rather than FFg and are pleased with it because it cleans up somewhat better and yields more muzzle velocity for a given charge.

Jus' my 2¢... :wink:


Strength & Honor..

Ron T.

 

[uncmrkhd]

welcome to the forum and the world of BP. I'm new too so bear with me, I went to cabelas web site to see just what you were buying and I can only find one carbine and its a 58 cal, that being said its my understanding carbine just refers to short barrel rifle, mines a renegade (hawkins without the fancy trim pieces) and its got a 28" barrel, they come with barrels up to (or more) 32" From what I see on cabelas site all have a 1-48 twist(or higher 1-66) which will shoot either round ball or if you prefer the costly stuff. Reading on the forum either will kill or poke holes in paper if shot is placed right and thats where the fun is , finding the right set up.New guns are nice but costly and used ones are out there if finances are a concern, you dont say where you are from but here in Indiana used is from $100-$250 just takes some looking (Armslist has some for Indiana) Good luck and be careful its a addictive sport your venturing into

 

[Vtsmoker]

He has no idea does he Jethro. DonQ, welcome to the forum. I started with a Cabelas Hawkin because I just wanted a muzzleloader to hunt with. Then I "needed" a full stock rifle so I got a Traditions Kentucky Rifle. Both caplock by the way. Then I joined this forum and discovered I "needed" a flintlock smoothbore, And I "needed" to learn to build a ML. So I find myself in posession of a kit which I am about to begin to assemble. Ooooooh, but I'm not done yet. Before I even got this kit delivered I'm already planning my next kit. You see my friend it never ends. It grows to be a monster. I'm married and now "the look" very well! :rotf:

 

[longrifle346]

Better to ask forgiveness than permission!
Estimate the dollar amount of her makeup, trips to the salon, and clothes shopping expenses last year. Get a gun safe as large as her closet space and see if you can stuff it as full of your toys as she has with hers.
Fair for the goose, fair for the gander....

 

[Tony Logan]

a one time purchase of black powder gun & accessories.

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
Just wait 'til the blackpowder bug bites you when you go shootin' the first time.
Next thing you know you'll be buying cases of Goex, totin' a custom flintlock, dressin' funny, and sleepin' under a tarp at rendezvous.



Welcome to the Forum! :hatsoff:
And to your next addiction. :haha:

Well put Jethro! Cant say you didnt warn him. When I came back to black powder 2-3 yrs ago I told my wife the same thing. I needed one gun, a pedersoli blue ridge 50 capper, right who needs more than one, Anyway I dont even use that one now or the next one for that matter , a traditions mtn rifle 50 capper I just had to have.... but the next three, well they are lefty flinters. Yep flinters, Never shot one, needed one, or even thought about one, this dang forum mixed with bp smoke and hanging out with the "right" crowd. Good luck and enjoy the journey, your just getting started.
welcome to the addiction and the forum, we are glad to have you.

 

[lakota]

Get a copy of Sam Fadala's Blackpowder handbook and a copy of Dixie Gunwork's catalog. Even if you never order anything from Dixie(like that would ever happen :grin: ) theres a wealth of Blackpowder shooting info in the back of it making it well worth the 5 or 6 bucks they want for one.

 

[morehops]

Yeah, like Longrifle said, but her stuff is consumables and yours is durable goods. Long after her newest batch of makeup, lotions, bath products and current hair color are gone, you still have a fine piece you can still shoot and enjoy AND it has resale value . Lets see her match that.
I suggest you start a secret savings account just for more "unexpected purchases". I'll betcha she has one :wink: .

 

[VEARL]

Targets...lots of targets.

 

[hoochiepapa]

Everything they tell you is true. You won't have just one. First I built my .54, thinking it was for elk, and that's all I would need. Then I built a .32 for small game. Now I have a .58 Jaeger rifle in the works, a .54 swivel breech in "the rafters", and two fowling pieces under the bench. And of course you have to have a bag and powder horn for each one, and accessories.....
So today I went and paid for a day at the spa for my wife. Get the hint?

 

[oldude]

Well DonQ, I'm still kinda new to this illness, been donin it off and on since the early eighties. All the advice above is some of the best you can get but they forgot the new 3/4 ton truck you need to haul all that plunder with and don't forget the 30 ft towable cabin to keep the wife compfy cuz we all know once she pops acouple of caps on your rifle she will HAVE TO HAVE one and we all know BP guns is like LAYS potatoe chips.....you can't have just one. Jim

Gun that is not wife :haha: